Combined tool



INVENTOR bfr/vflrlfffiaduz'rr ATTORNEY 1953 H. w. BASSETT COMBINED TOOLFiled Aug. 1957 Un d tes .P mo" COMBINED TOOL Henry W. Bassett, SouthBritain, Conn., assignor to The W. E. Bassett Company, Derby, Conn., acorporation of Connecticut Application August 6, 1957, Serial No.676,591 2 Clainis. (Cl. 30-161) My invention relates to a combined toolcomprising a case having one or more blade members pivotally mountedtherein and movable to open and closed positions.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved means for holdingone or more blade members of a combined tool of the character indicated,in one or more definite positions relatively to the case of the tool.

Another object is to provide an improved blade holding means formedintegrally with the case of the tool.

Other objects and various features of novelty and invention will behereinafter pointed out or will become apparent to those skilled in theart.

Briefly stated, in a preferred form of the invention, my improvedcombined tool comprises a case with a plurality of blade memberspivotally mounted therein, and movable from a closed position within thecase to an open position extending away from the case. The case itselfis preferably formed of sheet metal, or the like, preferably steel,having some resiliently. The case preferably consists of an elongatedchannel-shaped member, including a base with upstanding side wallsforming a case for the blades to fit between. The blades are pivotallymounted at their ends adjacent one end of the case and are movable fromthe closed position between the side walls to open position, asheretofore indicated. The blades are provided with retainingprojections, each blade being provided with one or more of saidprojections. The base of the case is provided with an internal trough orrecess extending transversely of the base and in position to beintercepted by the projections on the blades for holding the latter inplace in the case. These projections may be so arranged as to hold theblades in either open or closed positions, or both. The internal troughor recess formed transversely in the channel is preferably formed bypressing the metal of the base outwardly so as to form a resilient bulgeon the outside of the base or a recess or depression on the inside. Thisdepression is located adjacent the pivotal end of the blades and is inposition, as stated, for interception by the projections of the blades.The formation of this recess or trough will be facilitated both inmanufacture and in action by providing the base with longitudinal slitsadjacent the side walls with the spring part between pressed out intothe bulge forming the recess on the inside.

In the drawings, which show for illustrative purposes only, a preferredform of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through a combined tool illustrative ofthe invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken substantially in the plane of the line2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an inverted isometric view of the tool case.

In said drawings, the case is channel-shaped and includes a base 5 withupstanding side walls 6-6 forming a channel which is a housing or casingfor one or more blade members 7. These blade members are pivotallymounted in the case by being pierced adjacent one 2,824,368 Planted Feb.25, 1958 end for receiving a pivot such as the eyelet fastener 8 passingthrough blades and apertures in the side walls 66 and riveted in place.These blade members may constitute any suitable tools, such as a bottleopener, a knife blade and other tools desired.

The invention relates particularly to a means for holding the blades indefinite position relatively to the case. Such position or positionswill usually be the fully closed position and the fully-open position.In the form illustrated the case has a depression therein and each bladehas a projection for coaction with the walls of the depression forholding the blade in place. Each blade if desired may have pluralprojections, one, say, for engaging the recess for holding the blade inopen position and the other one engaging the recess for holding theblade in closed position.

The internal trough or recess 9 within the casing is preferably formedby forcing the metal of the base outwardly forming a bulge, as indicatedat 10, and this forcing of the metal outwardly, of course, leaves atransverse trough or depression 9 within the case. In order to get morespring to the walls of the depression 9 it is preferable to slit orlance the base at opposite sides of the bulge 10. These slits arepreferably formed before pressing the bulge 10 outwardly and the slitsprovide metal for some spring action of the depression. Each blade inthe form shown has a retaining projection 12 angularly located on theblade so as to engage within the recess or trough 9 when the blade is inwide open position, as shown in Fig. 1. Thus the blades may actfrictionally, but lightly on the bottom of the channel base duringopening and closing the blade members, and when the projection 12 of anyblade engages the spring part between the slits 11-11 friction wil beincreased until finally the projection 12 snaps into the depression 9and holds the blade in full open position, as indicated.

Each blade at the zone opposite the projection 12 may be relieved or cutaway as shown at 14 so that there is clearance between the blade and thespring part having the depression 9. In that way the blades in closedposition will not interfere with the spring action of the part engagingthe projection 12 of the blade in open position.

It will be seen that I have provided an extremely simple method offorming a spring detent member or recess in the case for holding theblade in definite position. All parts are simply and easily formed andassembled.

Reference is made herein to Bassett application Serial No. 615,200,filed October 10, 1956, now Patent No. 2,798,290.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail and apreferred form illustrated, it is to be understood that modificationsmay be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character indicated, an elongated channel having abase and opposed upstanding side walls and defining a retaining case, aplurality of elongated blade members, means for pivotally mounting saidblade members between said side walls about a common axis, said blademembers being independently movable from a closed position between saidside walls to an open position projecting away from said case, each ofsaid blade members having near the pivotally supported end thereof aretaining projection, the base of said channel having a pair of slitsextending longitudinally thereof and adjacent the side walls thereof, apart of the material of said base extending transversely thereof andbetween said slits forming a resilient part and being bowed outwardlyleaving a transverse trough or depression within said channel inposition to be intercepted by said projections on said blade members,said projections on said blade members being so angularly located withrespect to the ,3 pivot axis of said blade members as to enact with saidtransverse trough or depression and hold each of said blade members indefinite position relatively to said case.

2. In a device of the character indicated, an elongated channel having abase and opposed upstanding side walls and defining a Ietainin case, anelongated blade mem bet, and means for pivotally mounting the same on anaxis extending between said side walls, said blade member being movablefrom a closed position between said side walls to an open positionprojecting away from said case, said blade member having near thepivotally supported end thereof a retaining projection, the base of saidchannel having a pair of slits extending longitudinal- 1y thereof inlaterally spaced relation, said blade member being laterally locatedintermediate said slits, a part of the material of said base extendingtransversely thereof and between said slits and forming a resilient partand being bowed outwardly, leaving a transverse trough or depressionwithin said channel in position to be intercepted by said projection onsaid blade member, said projection on said blade member being soangularly located with respect to the pivot axis thereof as to enactwith said transverse trough or depression and hold said blade member indefinite position relatively to said case.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,312,653 Watrous Aug. 12, 1919 FOREIGN PATENTS 352,788 Great BritainJuly 16, 1931

